Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1887-01-21

OF the new and progressive move was gen.
eral and hearty. The President, Mr.. H.
y. Peck, presided. and the Association
choir furnished the music. Mr.. P. explain
ed the object of the meeting, said the AS
ISOLATION itself had already raised part of
salary, and expressed the hope that the
citizens would aid in raising the rest.
Mr.. Fl. M. McIlhany said it was exceed
jngly gratifying to see 80 large an audi
ence here. 1t augured we'll for the success
Of the work on hand, for it showed that it
was only necessary for the Y. M. G. A. to
give public invitation to its friends to
meet 1t, to have it accepted. Such feel
ing between the public and the Associa-
ton was exceedingly gratifying to the
latter. He said that State Secretary Will
liams had given the opinion that this was
the best Association be had ever seen
without Secretary. The speaker thought
the compliment not undeseryed for it was
true that the Stanton Association WITH
out Secretary, and without much means,
had done good deal of work for one in
that situation.
Mr.. Williams. the State Secretary, then
addressed the meeting. He said that he
had found Mr.. McIlhany good hand at
dispelling clouds. When he was here be-
fore, there were good many clouds hang
ing over the scheme for local Secreta-
~, but now he found they had been lifted.
A few days ago he, on Sunday, spoke
IN new England town, and in describing
the condition of the work at the South,
had alluded to what had been done In
Stanton by an Association that had no
Secretary. The next Monday morning he
read an article column long in the paper
of the town asking why the work in New
England could not be done with energy
like that in the South and Staunton. About
three years ago an article was published
by gentleman. now Bishop in the M.
E. Church, in which he had said thar
had coEe to the hali5sss that the gIeat To
igious movement of the 18th century was
the Methodist church, and that of the
10th century was the Young Mems Chris
tian Association. Mr.. Moody, the evan
gelist said only a few years ago. what
have been, has been, under God, due to
the Y. M. G. Association" Mr.. Williams
went on to show the practical Importance
of local Secretary, who is to an Associa-
ton what manager is to railway and
general to an army. Taking the Staun-
ton Association as an example; had it not
been for a few faithful men, Mr.. McIlha-
ny would not have been able to say of it
what he had said this evening. 1t has
been said of our large cities that they are
a menace to civilization. 1t is true. MANY
a young man in the country who wan
ted to set up for himself. as the phrase
goes, has come to city. When he comes
where shall he meet Christian company;
how get into it? The business men are
too busy to look after him, the young men
in society do not know who he is, or what
his antecedents are. SO just at the criti-
cal time when the least kindness or inter-
est would impress him, he, ninetY-nins
times out Of a hundred finds his first com.
panion in some ''good fellow" who is a
bad companion for a young man who is
not a Christian. The saloons welcome
him. The saloons don't employ sour,
crusty, forbidding men; they employ ge-
NAL, kind-hearted, companionable men TO
attract not to repel trade Their men
are always ready with a pleasant word
and pleasant manner to welcome the
stranger There are five hundred and
twenty-five Secretaries employed by the
Y. M. g. Associations to be just as kind
and attractive to young men as the bar
keepers are and to lead them into differ
emit place. The speaker then described
the benefits of the Associations in their
social features. One young man went Ito
one of their social receptions given by the
Ladies' auxiliary on New Years night.
that he had, but one of the Christian
ladies there made him sit down beside her
and after the refreshments came persua ded
him to stay all the evening. It was q
turning point in his life. He went to see
The Secretary next morning to say how
sorry he felt at having gone there as he
had, but how pleasant the evening was in
The end. He became member and is
now the teacher of a Bible class in one of
'he largest churches in the town.
The speaker went on to point out the
benefits of the gymnasiums In the Asso-
station homes. They gave young men
healthy bodies in which to carry healthy
minds. They had been found effective
nodes in which to approach young men in
'heir souls interest. for those who taught
n them We're fitted not only to teach
athletic exercises but the way to God, and
we're in earnest in both. He related the
Ease OF young man who had led a very
Irregular life, who was attracted to the
Association at Norfolk by its gymnasium
md went there. He became Christian.
He afterwards became teacher in it and
'hen after spending some time at Mr..
Moo6ys school he received call from an
Association in Iowa. At the Boston As
'oclation over 900 young men had been
brought intoitand made mem bers through
he fundamentally of its gym asium.
Another branch was educational work
which included bookkeeping and other
PRACTICAL branches to aid young men.
COMMITTEE TO CANVASS THE CITY.
At the close of Mr. Williams ir.~-aa
ng talk, the p--- - 11